Shards of a Family
by amazeedayzee
Summary: Kurosaki Isshin wasn't always like this. Masaki's death takes a toll on her entire family. Set before the series.


_This just came to me on a whim one day. I might continue it if I get more ideas._

Kurosaki Isshin looks at the giant tapestry pinned to the wall of his home. His late wife smiles at him, as though aware of his presence. She's not, of course. She's somewhere in Soul Society, hopefully living in peace. Her light brown, wavy hair in the picture swirls around her pale face beautifully. She looks serene and happy as always.

"Evening, Masaki," Isshin greets her, sitting in the green and white striped lawn chair he bought from a shop a few years back. "How are you doing?"

"Ichigo and the twins have been alright. It's only been a year after...well, you know. But they're getting on fine. They're really growing up, you know. Ichigo's already nine, and Karin and Yuzu are nearly five. They've started school this past fall--but I've already told you about that a few months ago, haven't I? I keep begging Karin not to cut her hair, it looks so much nicer long, but she won't listen to me. 'Quiet, daddy!' she tells me. Well, I guess there's just that part of you in her. She's stubborn, that's for sure. It's a wonder she has a twin like Yuzu. But they're still best friends, and they'll always look out for each other. Yuzu is starting to take over the household chores and whatnot--I think she feels like someone has to replace you, Masaki.

"Ichigo is still learning how to fight. That friend of his, Tatsuki? She still beats him at karate every day. But he's got this determined mindset about him. He's like...well, when I was...well, you know what I'm talking about. I think he'd make a good one. Someday. The kids at school tease him about his hair still, but he's just plowing through it. You've been away from us for such a short time, and he's getting back on his feet quickly. There's nothing that'll fix that feeling, that there's someone missing in this house, but...I think we'll be okay."

Isshin hears a pair of feet shuffling on the stairs, and down walks Yuzu, half asleep and in her pink patterned pajamas. "Daddy? Why are you up so late?" she asks, rubbing her eyes. "It's already ten o'clock."

"I know, Yuzu. I just wanted to talk to your mother for a while," Isshin says, his gaze breaking from Masaki's for a moment.

"Mommy? Can she hear us from that poster?" Yuzu asks with wide eyes. She runs to the poster of Masaki, and puts her palms on her mother's neck. "Mommy, can you hear me?" Her head turns so that her right ear is on the chin, straining to hear a response in her mother's dulcet voice. The sight of little Yuzu, standing on tip-toe and waiting for her late mother to speak to her, breaks Isshin's heart. He almost cries. He wants to tell her of course Masaki can hear her, because mothers will always be there to listen to their children. But it's not true. Not now.

"Well…no. At least, I don't think so," admits Isshin. The look on his daughter's face melts into dismay. He stands up immediately, startling Yuzu and knocking the chair over.

"A-ah, but! But! She'll probably still be able to hear you someday!" Isshin bursts out, trying desperately to cheer up his daughter. "Just keep trying to talk to her, and she'll know what you're saying!"

"Really?" says Yuzu, and her expression immediately brightens. "Mommy, it's me, Yuzu! I hope it's nice up there, wherever you are."

She doesn't get a chance to say more, though, when Karin and Ichigo walk into the room.

"Yuzu? Daddy? What are you two doing here so late?" Karin asks, but then she spots the poster of her mother, and she doesn't say any more. Yuzu, however, replies happily.

"We're saying hi to Mommy! Daddy says she can hear us from that poster if we try really hard to talk to her!"

Karin says nothing, but something in her eyes and the way her lips are pursed together says she's trying not to let that tear trickle down her face. So she promptly turns around and walks as fast as she can, back up the stairs. Ichigo isn't watching her, though; he's watching his other sister, who's still confused as to why her twin just exited the room.

"Yuzu," begins Ichigo gently, "why don't you go upstairs to sleep? It's getting late."

"But I haven't finished talking to Mommy," says Yuzu, looking back at her mother.

"I'll talk to her for you, okay?"

"Alright!" she says happily, flouncing back to her and Karin's room.

There is some silence between Ichigo and his father for a few moments. Finally, "What were you thinking?"

"She was upset, wasn't she? There's no other way but to cheer her up."

"Still, you're just giving her false hope."

"I know."

Ichigo stares at the poster on the wall for what seems like an eternity before finally turning around. "I'm going to sleep."

Isshin nods, watching his son's back as it heads up the stairs, away from him. He makes sure Ichigo's already gone back before collapsing in the striped lawn chair. The chair itself promptly falls apart, and Isshin lands on the floor with a loud thud. _Figures_, he thinks. He settles for the sofa instead.

"What will I do, Masaki? I could never replace you. Not your perpetual happiness, not your serenity, nothing. Masaki, you were what held us together," Isshin says, as his voice starts to crack a little. Just a little. "What do I do?" He sits there, on the worn, white sofa, gazing at her. Looking for an answer.

There is no remedy for death, he knows that. But he wishes there were one for a broken family.


End file.
